reynolds



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

H. A. REYNOLDS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO R. T. WILDE, OF SAME PLACE.

CLAMP FOR BONNETFRA1VIES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,131, dated May 1, 1860.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, I-I. A. REYNOLDS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Clasp to be Used in the Manufacture of Ladies Bonnets or other Analogous Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, 1n which- Figure 1, is a perspective view of my improved clasp. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the saine. Fig. 3 exhibits the form of the piece of plate metal of which the clasp is made. Fig. 4, exhibits the application of the clasp in the manufacture of a bonnet.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several ligures.

To explain the object and nature of my invention I will first briefly describe the old plan of making the wire frames of bonnets. These frames are made upon a shape constructed of buckram or other stiff fabric or material with an outwardly projecting margin which serves as a guide or gage around and within which to lay the wire in proper form to make a frame, and the wire as it is laid around this margin is tacked or stitched to it with a needle and thread to coniine it in proper form and when the frame is so far completed as to permit its being taken ott the shape the tacking threads require to be outI and pulled out.

The object of my invention is to dispense with the tacking or stitching and to provide a more convenient means of confining the wire to the shape and of removing it therefrom when the frame is so far completed as to permit it; and with this end in view the nature of my invention consists in a metal clasp of an elastic character and of a peculiar construction which enables it to be readily applied to secure the wire to the margin of the shape at suitable intervals and is readily removed when the continement of the wire is no longer necessary.

The clasp is made of a single piece of steel or hard rolled brass or other metal, possess ing suflicient strength and elasticity of the form represented in Fig. 3, that is to say parallel for the greater portion of its length and with a narrowed tongue a, at one end, and a transverse slot Z), near the other end ot' a proper size for the tongue a, to pass through. To form this piece into the clasp, the tongue ai, is bent at a right angle or nearly so to the principal parallel portion c, c, which is also bent as shown at d, in Figs. l and 2, midway between the tongue and the slot to form a spring which exerts its elasticity in a manner to open itself, and the extremity of the tongue a, is passed through the slot b, and turned over as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to form a hook e, which serves to prevent the tongue being drawn back through the slot by the elasticity of the metal and to receive within it the projecting margin f, of the shape A, and the wire g, of which the frame is to be formed.

Fig. 2 exhibits a section of the marginal portion 7, of the shape A, and of the wire g, and shows the manner in which they are received within the hook the wire being represented in red color; and Fig. 4f, shows how a number of such clasps indicated by letters B, B, are employed in conning the wire g, to the shape. To apply the clasp the operator holds it with the fore finger under the part- L Figs. l and 2, and with the tip of the thumb on the part i, extending beyond the slot Z), and presses it between the thumb and linger to push up and open the hook e, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 in dotted outline ready to be slipped over the wire g, and projecting margin f, of the frame. Then it is put on in the manner represented, the removal ot the pressure of the thumb and finger allows the hook to be closed by the elasticity of the metal and clamp the wire g, against the shape A. When the frame is suliiciently completed to permit the removal of the clamps, they only require to be pressed between the thumb and fingers as before described and slipped 0H.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The elastic clamp constructed and operating substantially as herein described for purposes substantially such as that herein specified.

I-I. A. REYNOLDS. Witnesses:

GOODWIN Y. ATLEE, GUs'rAvUs DIETERICH. 

